The present invention relates to a transponder, a system and a method for timing and position tracking.
In the field of timing at sports events, for example at running events, marathons, bicycle races, skiing races, car races, horse races or other similar events, timing of participants' start, finish, and split times plays an important role. In prevailing timing systems, oftentimes a person, a vehicle or an animal, whose time is to be measured, carries a radio element (e.g. an active or passive RFID tag) for non-contact and automated timing. Runners, for instance, may carry radio elements that are integrated in a starting number or attached to the lace of a shoe. In the case of cycling events, it is possible to attach respective radio elements to the handlebar of a bicycle; in other vehicles a radio element may be attached to the vehicle body.
At start, finish, and split time positions along a track, measuring points are provided that allow for a radio element to be detected and/or to be communicated with. For this purpose, a measuring point in particular comprises an antenna and a respective evaluation unit for controlling the antenna and for processing exchanged signals. The measuring point records points in time at which a certain radio element is in its vicinity and/or passes the measuring point. The determination of a passing time, i.e. the moment at which the radio element passes the measuring point, may be carried out in several ways on the basis of messages exchanged between radio element and measuring point while the radio element is within communication range of the measuring point. For example, the calculation may be done on the basis of an evaluation of signal strengths of exchanged messages. The determined passing times are then communicated to a central evaluation point. By taking into account and evaluating the various registered passing times, time registration becomes possible.
In this context, a transponder particularly designates a radio element that is able to transmit as well as to receive signals. On the one hand, passive RFID systems are to be mentioned in this regard that do not have an energy source of their own and that transmit their own identification information (ID) in response to a stimulus from a base station. On the other hand, active RFID systems usually have their own energy supply and thereby allow for a comparatively higher degree of data processing in the transponder. Usually, active RFID systems allow for a higher precision in timing.
In addition to timing, position tracking (herein also simply referred to as tracking) of the participants is also often desired at sports events. In particular in the professional sector, for example at marathon events, but also in popular sports, for example at triathlon and Iron Man events, this registration and monitoring of participants' positions (tracking) can generate important additional information both for the spectators and the athletes. Position tracking is to be understood as position monitoring or localization of transponders that are, for example, carried by athletes.
In this context, one approach is to equip participants with a so-called tracker for position tracking in addition to the transponder. Usually, such trackers comprise a GPS module for position detection as well as a GSM module for transmitting the position to the central evaluation point at regular time intervals. What is disadvantageous about this solution is the relatively high energy demand which makes a relatively big battery necessary. In the area of professional sports, for example, participants often desire to reduce the weight of the equipment carried along. In the area of Olympic sports, for example, an upper limit of 18 grams for the weight of the transponder is set by officials, whereas usual GPS trackers often weigh around 60 grams.
If the option is provided to activate and deactivate the tracker manually in order to save energy, this often has the effect that at least part of the participants neglect to activate the tracker at all or activate or deactivate it too soon or too late, which makes it impossible to track their positions reliably. Apart from this, if rechargeable batteries are used, the process of recharging often poses a huge challenge when a plurality of trackers is used at a big event. In addition, an interface for recharging a battery usually requires a plug, which may compromise the watertightness and robustness of the solution. Moreover, the simultaneous use of GSM technology by the many participants that are in a start or finish area at the same time may cause a network overload. Finally, the initialization of the event is made more complicated as all participants need to be provided with another device in addition to the transponder, which devices each need to be allocated.
A further approach for position tracking of athletes is the additional handing out of transmitters to the participants of the sports event, which regularly transmit (radio) signals. These signals are received by base stations along the track, wherein localization can be further improved by triangulation of the received signals. What is disadvantageous here is that an additional device is also necessary, which has to be carried by the athlete. Here, the same disadvantages as with the use of a tracker as described above occur, which result from the use of a (rechargeable) battery, from the use of an additional device and/or from the separate handling.
A further approach is to realize a tracking on the basis of the transponder that is carried along anyway. For this purpose, several measuring points for the detection of split times are provided along the track. What is disadvantageous here is that the effort regarding equipment and personnel and thus the cost is considerable when such time measuring points are installed as it is necessary to realize a dense grid of many measuring points (e.g. one measuring point per kilometer).
EP 2 357 446 A2 discloses multi-sensor monitoring systems and methods. In various ways, GPS data are used, and athletes, and/or devices used by the athletes, are provided with data and information. The disclosed systems and methods may provide route information to athletes and/or their coaches, for instance for pre-planning, goal setting and calibration purposes. Such systems and methods may optionally also provide real time information while the event is going on, for example to assist in reaching pre-set goals. Additionally, data and information collected by such systems and methods may be used by athletes and their coaches for post-event analysis, for example to evaluate the performance and to assist in improving future performance.
US 2013/0231760 A1 discloses an approach for providing event feedback information about participants of an event. A participant carries a participant device, which, at passing a checkpoint, receives event time information as well as identifier information via RFID. Based on this and on participant elapsed time information, timing information is displayed for the participant. On the one hand, the participant carries a wrist-worn device and on the other hand, s/he carries an RFID device at his or her foot. The foot-worn device serves for communication with an RFID reader. As soon as timing information is received from a checkpoint, the information is forwarded to the wrist-worn device in an “internal” transmission procedure with the help of an ANT transceiver. None of the participant devices is localized along the track.
US 2013/0285794 A1 discloses a system as well as a method for tracking a position of a participant during an event. A participant carries an RFID tag that is connected to a localization tag. This localization tag receives localization data from a localization source, in particular from a GPS system, and transmits these data periodically via a detection system of a detection point to a timing system. The participant's position is determined and transmitted in the participant's localization tag. The comparatively high energy demand of the GPS receiver as well as the use of a localization tag that runs separately from the RFID tag is tolerated. The position of the detection point is not known.
In summary, no practical and satisfying solution for realizing position tracking at such events is at yet available. All previous solutions have disadvantages regarding manageability (effort for initialization and/or installation, charging of numerous devices, etc.), error-proneness (participants need to be entered manually, charging necessary due to high energy consumption, network overload, etc.), robustness (charging plug necessary because of high energy consumption so that no watertight housing can be realized, etc.), and/or costs (system costs, effort for installation, transport costs, etc.) so that tracking has only been used rarely until now. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a possibility for timing and position tracking. In particular, it is the object of the present invention to improve the systems in the prior art regarding energy consumption, ease of use, reliability and system costs.